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Jokulsarlon is a glacier lagoon in the south of Vatnajokull national park that is easily reached by the Ring Road.

Covered in thick glacial ice until the 1930’s when the glacier started retreating, the lagoon today measures 7 square miles (20 km2). More than 300 feet of ice still breaks away each year, reshaping the lagoon and filling it with icebergs -  causing an alarmingly beautiful sight.

The water is freezing cold and contains a mixture of salt and freshwater giving it a blue-green color. There is plenty of fish and birdlife by the lagoon and the vast sand area of Breiðamerkursandur, and hundreds of seals stay there in winter.

Vatnajokull is the largest glacier in Europe covering 8% of the island of Iceland. Vatnajokull National Park - which encompasses the earlier national parks of Skaftafell and Jokulsargljufur - is the largest protected area in Europe and believed by many to be the most beautiful place on earth.

In this area you'll find some of the most stunning and diverse sights in iceland. Among those are Iceland's highest peak, Hvannadalshnjukur, its most active volcano, Grimsvotn, beautiful waterfalls such as Svartifoss by Skaftafell and Dettifoss, Europe's most powerful waterfall, stunning canyons such as Jokulsargljufur and Asbyrgi, and the breathtaking Jokulsarlon, an ice-riddled glacier lagoon that is one of the most beautiful attractions in Iceland.

Vatnajokull glacier

The glacier itself covers a surface area of about 100 km2. The thickness of the ice is generally around 400-600 meters, at its thickest around 950 meters. Under the glacier are valleys, mountains and plateuas as well as active volcanoes, most notably Grimsvotn and Bardarbunga, both the largest and most active of these. Then there are Esjufjoll, a glorious volcanic mountain island, surrounded by the glacier on all sides.

Vatnajokull has over 30 outlets, some of the major ones being Dyngjujokull and Bruarjokull to the north and Breidamerkurjokull, Oraefajokull, Skeidararjokull and Sidujokull towards the south. On the west side from the north are smaller glaciers Eyjabakkajokull, Hoffelssjokull,  Flaajokull Heinabergsjokull and Skalafellsjokull.

The highest peak of Iceland then lies to the south, Hvannadalshnjukur in the Orafeajokull outlet, reaching 2109 m, according to latest measurements.

Many rivers have their sources at Vatnajokull, including some of the greatest glacier rivers in the country. To the North are Jokulsa a Fjollum and Skjalfandafljot, to the Northeast are Jokulsa a Bru, and Jokulsa i Fljotsdal and to the south are Jokulsa i Loni, Honrfjardarfljot, Jokulsa a Breidamerkursandi, Skeidara, Nupsvotn, Hverfisfljot and Skafta. 

Vatnajokull National Park

The area around the glacier is highly varied. The highland plateu to the north is divided by glacier rivers which see massive floods in the summer. This is a highly volcanic region, where the volcanoes Askja, Herdubreid, Kverkfjoll and Snaefell tower over the scene. In this area is also the Jokulsargljufur preservation area with its magnficent canyon and the mighty glacier ricer Jokulsa a Fjollum where you'll find stunning waterfalls such as Dettifoss, Europe's most powerful waterfall. Further north are the Hljodaklettar echoing caves and the horse shoe-shaped Asbyrgi canyon, among other incredible sights.

Broad wetlands lie near the glacier and in the vicinity of Snaefell, further east. Particularly notable is the Eyjabakkar oasis, one of the largest nesting places for pink feeted geese in the world and located north of the Eyjabakkajokull outlet. To the east is also the stunning Jokulsarlon.

South of Vatnajokull, majestic mountain ridges characterise the scene, with outlet glaciers lying between them and reaching onto the lowlands. The Skaftafell preservation area is located there, with its rich flora and home to the beautiful waterfalls Hundafoss and Skogafoss, the latter famed for its with its magnificent columnar basalt formations.

To the south lies the vast sand desert Skeidararsandur, reaching all the way to the sea. The glacier river Skeidara runs through it and the sand was indeed created by great glacier bursts from Skeidara, with its origins in volcanic activity at Grimsvotn.

To the west of Vatnajokull there is strong volcanic activity as well. Some of the world's greatest fissure and lava eruptions happened there, at the Eldgja volcanic chasm and the Lakagigar craters in the 18th century. Vonarskard pass, to the northwest is also worth checking out, a highly colourful geothermal area that connects the North and South of Iceland.

In popular culture

Fans of the James Bond films might recognize the glacier from A View to a Kill and the  stunning Jokulsarlon from Die Another Day, though the events of the former were supposed to take place in Siberia.

Scenes by the Wall in the HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones were also shot by Vatnajokull and further scenes were shot at lake Myvatn, another Iceland's major attractions.

Skogafoss is one of the biggest and most beautiful waterfalls of the island with an astounding width of 25 meters and a drop of 60 meters. 

This is one of the most popular waterfalls in Iceland for travellers to visit. It is located in South Iceland, not far from Skogar, which itself features a highly interesting regional museum. Due to the amount of spray the waterfall often produces a single or double rainbow on sunny days. 

Seljalandsfoss in the river Seljalandsa in South Iceland is one of the most sought waterfalls in the country.

Seljalandsfoss has a narrow cascade but is one of Iceland's highest waterfalls, at 63 meters. The waterfall is highly picturesque and has the rare distinction that one can actually walk behind it. 

The glacier volcano of Eyjafjallajökull is notorious the world over for causing havoc to air travel in 2010, and stumping television anchors everywhere as they tried to pronounce it. 1651 metres (5427 feet) tall, it is one of the most dominant features of the South Coast.

Geography

The glacier of Eyjafjallajökull is approximately 100 square kilometres (39 square miles), making it the country’s sixth largest. It sits close to the fourth greatest, Mýrdalsjökull, which also conceals another notorious volcano, this one called Katla.

While Eyjafjallajökull’s eruption was huge and disruptive, it pales in comparison to the potential of Katla. Far more explosive, and under much thicker ice, an eruption here in unfavourable wind conditions could have worldwide consequences.

The magma chambers between both of these mighty volcanoes are connected, and, unfortunately for us, an eruption at Eyjafjallajökull is usually followed by one at Katla within a decade.

Eyjafjallajökull has many glacial outlets, the most famous being Gígjökull. Many rivers flow from its meltwater, and one of these falls into the beautiful South Coast waterfall, Seljalandsfoss, which it is possible to fully encircle.

Eruptions

Eyjafjallajökull’s most recent eruption was no doubt the most famous in Iceland’s history (although the honour really should go to Laki, the 1783-4 eruption of which caused an ash cloud so great that Europe fell into a famine that many historians believe led to the French Revolution). On March 27th, 2010, magma began to bubble from beneath the surface, and by April 14th, ash was starting to billow from the peak.

800 people were evacuated, in fears not of magma, but of equally dangerous glacial floods, which have decimated Icelandic towns in the past. Animals were ordered to be kept inside, and those with respiratory problems told they should also stay indoors.

Air travel across Europe was halted, as, by the evening of April 15th, the ash was already over the UK, Scandinavia, and parts of Germany. Holidaymakers were trapped, waiting for news, and would end up stuck for eight days; in Scotland and Ireland, there were even flights delayed in May due to lingering effects.

Thankfully, no one was injured, although the ash is thought to have caused respiratory issues for some in the south of the country. Many farms were also destroyed by the ash and floods, with some farmers still struggling to recover today.

Since settlement in 874, Eyjafjallajökull has also erupted in 900, 1612, and from 1821 to 1823. The latter released a huge amount of fluoride which is believed to have affected the bone health of humans and animals alike at the time.

Eyjafjallajokull today

Eyjafjallajökull is now entirely safe to visit and is seen on most tours of the South Coast in clear weather. In the town of Hvolsvöllur, there is a visitor’s centre on the volcano, which focuses on the experience of one family whose farm, Þorvaldseyri, was one of the many destroyed by the floods, lava and ash.

It is very unlikely that Eyjafjallajökull will erupt again any time soon, with hundreds of years between each eruption, but as mentioned, its neighbour Katla might start rumbling...

Mýrdalsjökull is a glacier in the south of the Icelandic highlands. It is the country's fourth largest ice cap, covering nearly 600 square kilometres (232 square miles), and its highest peak is almost 1500 meters tall. It is most well-known for sitting atop the notorious and explosive volcano, Katla.

Mýrdalsjökull is visible from Route 1 on the South Coast, sitting to the north of the village of Vík. It is visited on some snowmobiling, ice caving and helicopter tours, and one of its glacial outlets, Sólheimajökull, is the most popular place in the country for ice-climbing and glacier hiking.

Eruptions beneath Myrdalsjokull

Since 2010, the world has known of the volcano beneath Eyjafjallajökull; after all, it halted European air travel for over a week and stumped news readers everywhere. Few, however, are aware of the much larger volcano right beside it.

Mýrdalsjökull conceals Katla, one of the country’s most active volcanoes, having erupted, on average, once every fifty years since 930 AD. Because of the glacier above it, these eruptions tend to cause enormous ash clouds. It is these ash clouds that lead to flights being grounded, crops and livestock poisoned, and have the potential to change the world’s climate.

The last major eruption beneath Katla was in 1918, in which such huge lahar floods occurred that the southern coastline was extended five kilometres outwards. This area is also very susceptible to glacial floods, or 'jökulhlaup', during eruptions, even when the lava does not break through the surface of the ice. These are as dangerous as the lava itself, having wiped out whole Icelandic villages before.

Historically, the area was little settled for this reason.

Katla is connected to the same volcanic system as Eyjafjallajökull and usually erupts violently a few years after Eyjafjallajökull does. As the ex-president, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson said in 2010:

So it is currently several years overdue. Katla is monitored heavily, and roads around it closed when seismic activity increases. All road closures around Iceland can be found on Road and Coastal Administration's website.

Tours on Myrdalsjokull

While there are no eruptions immediately imminent, tours continue to run onMýrdalsjökull, allowing visitors to enjoy the glacier. It is, for example, possible to snowmobile across its surface throughout the year and take ice caving tours beneath it from October to April, with departures from both Reykjavík and Vík.

Considering the ice caves under Vatnajökull glacier are usually only accessible from November to March, this provides a wider window of opportunity for travellers to Iceland outside of the depths of winter. It should be noted that the caves in Mýrdalsjökull do not have the same blue ice, however.

Tours around Myrdalsjokull

Mýrdalsjökull can be seen on all South Coast tours that reach Vík and beyond in clear weather. It can also be seen from above on helicopter tours that depart from Reykjavík.

The best perspectives of the glacier, however, can be found on the popular Fimmvörðuháls hiking trail, which goes between Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull. Part of this hike can be done in a day, or you can take the complete route from Þórsmörk to Skógar on a three-day trek

Skaftafell is a nature preserve in Oraefasveit. It used to be a national park of its own but joined the larger Vatnajokull National Park in 2008.

Skaftafell is notable for its rich flora, growing between sands and glaciers, and overall for its amazing and contrasting scenery. You can take short and easy trails to the waterfalls Svartifoss and Hundafoss, as well as Skaftafell glacier, with the mountain Kristinartindar and Morsardalur valley further off.

Skaftafell is also the perfect base camp for those seeking to climb Iceland’s highest peak, Hvannadalshnukur.

Vík í Mýdral, or just Vík, is the southernmost village on the Icelandic mainland, located 186 kilometres (110 miles) from the capital Reykjavík.

Often visited by those travelling the popular sightseeing route along the South Coast, it is a wonderful place to stop, recharge, and if you are taking your time, rest for the night. Though it only has around 300 residents, the village is very popular amongst tourists for its convenience and beautiful surrounding landscapes.

Features near Vik

Reaching Vík from Reykjavík takes approximately two and a half hours, and en route, there are many marvellous features to admire. Two of the country’s most famous waterfalls, Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss, lay between the two destinations; the former has awe-inspiring power, whereas the latter can be fully encircled.

The glaciers Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull can also be seen on clear days; both of these cover volcanoes which are particularly explosive, with Eyjafjallajökull famously disrupting European air travel in 2010. Out to sea in especially good weather, the Westman Islands can also be seen on the horizon.

Just before Vík are the popular birdwatching cliffs of Dyrhólaey, where you can also find an enormous rock arch curving out into the ocean. This is one of the best places for birdwatching in Iceland, with thousands of puffins nesting here from May to August.

The village itself sits opposite one of the country’s most famous features: Reynisfjara black sand beach. Considered one of the world’s most beautiful non-tropical beaches, it boasts incredible geology.

Particularly of note are the Reynisdrangar sea-stacks, said to be two trolls frozen in the light of the morning sun as they tried to pull a ship into shore.

Though this beach makes for a lovely walk, particularly for those staying in Vík overnight, as they can see it under the midnight sun or northern lights, it has its dangers. Sneaker waves can be notorious here, so visitors should stay far from the water’s edge, and never go for a swim. Lives have been lost here before.

The route to Vík from Reykjavík is beautiful and continues to be so as you travel further along the South Coast, through the Skeiðarásandur black-sand-plains into Vatnajökull National Park. This beautiful region is often the final destination of those passing through Vík, as it is home to the largest glacier in Europe, the Skaftafell Nature Reserve, and Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.

Of course, ambitious travellers will carry on from here to encircle the full country.

Wildlife around Vik

Vík, due to its closeness to the Reynisfjall and Dyrhólaey cliffs, has a rich birdlife. Short walks from the village will take you to the nesting grounds of gulls, fulmar, guillemots, and in summer, puffins.

Due to its coastal location, visitors to Vík have a decent chance to see seals on the shore. There is also a slim chance to see whales or dolphins; the twenty or so species that live in Iceland’s waters can appear at any time.

Services in Vik

Vík has a wide variety of public services, due to its remoteness and its importance in connecting the east and west of Iceland. There are gas stations, shops and cafes, a swimming pool, a wool factory that can be visited, and a wide range of accommodation options for all budgets.

Please note, however, that as the village has such a small year-round population, those with special dietary requirements should purchase their food from Reykjavík before departing.

Gljúfrabúi (or Canyon Dweller) is a beautiful waterfall located at Hamragarðar in South Iceland, close to its better known counterpart, Seljalandsfoss waterfall. It is one of the hidden gems of the South Coast, and thus a great spot for photographers and those seeking to admire nature in peace.

Image from Regína Hrönn Ragnarsdóttir

Nature of Gljúfrabúi

The 40 metre (131 feet) high Gljúfrabúi is hidden behind a huge cliff which faces out towards Iceland’s South Coast and the Atlantic Ocean. Because of its decent ‘hiding place’, it is overlooked by most travellers, in spite of the fact that thousands of people visit Seljalandsfoss, less than a kilometre away, every day.

A stream, the Gljúfurá, runs through a cleft in the cliff, and those who wish to approach the falls must do so by wading through these waters.

After a few metres of travelling through a narrow valley, the space will open, and here, Gljúfrabúi tumbles before a great boulder, which it is possible to climb upon for some great photos. With the open sky above, mossy walls, silver mist and black lava, it is one of Iceland’s most breathtaking gems, seemingly from a fantasy story.

This is especially the case on sunny days, where rainbows curve through the water’s spray.

It is also possible to see Gljúfrabúi from above. There is a steep path that allows you to clamber up the cliff, at some points with the aid of ropes.

Both these routes are mildly challenging and have their dangers, so only attempt to reach Gljúfrabúi if you are in a decent state of health and confident on your feet. They should only be attempted when there is not ice on the ground, and in the case of the path up the cliff, when it is wet and slippery.

Surroundings of Gljúfrabúi

Gljúfrabúi is in one of the most travelled regions of Iceland, on the South Coast along the Ring Road. This means that it is very easy to reach, either alone or on a guided tour, just an hour and a half’s drive from the capital.

As mentioned, Gljúfrabúi is about ten minutes walk north Seljalandsfoss. Interestingly, this is one of the country’s most famous and photographed waterfalls, due to the fact it falls from a concave cliff which allows visitors to fully encircle the cascade.

Seljalandsfoss is taller than Gljúfrabúi at 60 metres (196 metres), with a similar waterflow. Both are fed by the meltwater of the glacier Eyjafjallajökull, the volcano beneath which caused widespread problems to air traffic across Europe when it erupted in 2010.

A much more powerful waterfall can be found just half hour’s drive or so along the Ring Road, called Skógafoss. This is a similar height to Seljalandsfoss, but up to 30 metres (98 feet) wide after a heavy rain.

Another popular site in the area is Sólheimajökull, the most popular glacial outlet in Iceland for glacier hiking. This feature is on Sólheimasandur, a vast expanse of volcanic ash that resembles a black sand desert.

Those who travelling a little further along the South Coast will reach the cliffs of Dyrhólaey, with their beautiful rock arch and resident puffins in summer, and the beach of Reynisfjara, renowned for it powerful waves and basalt sea-stacks, called Reynisdrangar.

All these sites can be visited with ease within a day.

Reynisdrangar are impressive rock formations situated near the shore of Reynisfjara beach by the coastal village Vík on the South Coast of Iceland.

The formations are the remains of large and imposing sea cliffs, made up of basalt, that serve as a vital part of the area’s allure; they shoot dramatically out of the ocean under the looming cliffs of Mt. Reynisfjall, making for a beautiful site, and have a folklore that is equally impressive.

More modern visitors will be excited to know that these pillars also feature in Season 7 of Game of Thrones, at Eastwatch by the Sea.

Dangerous Waves

Before getting into the wonders of Reynisdrangar, it is important for potential visitors to be aware of the dangers at the site.

These majestic rock pillars rise from the sea just off of Reynisfjara, a famous black sand beach on the South Coast, by the village of  Vík. Though incredible due to its diverse and dramatic geology, Reynisfjara is gaining a notorious reputation for its sneaker waves.

There are no significant landmasses between Antarctica and Reynisfjara, giving waves the entire length of the Atlantic Ocean to build strength. This means that even on still, summer days, they can rise from seemingly nowhere and chase far further up the sand than would ever be expected.

It is absolutely imperative, therefore, that guests stay at least 30 metres (98 feet) from the water’s edge. Those who flout these rules put their lives and the lives of others at risk; people have died here before.

Folklore

As with almost all bizarre features in this country, there is an Icelandic folk tale that explains the origin of the Reynisdrangar pillars and their eerie appearance.

According to legend, a couple of trolls saw a ship out to sea by night, and waded out to reach it. They got hold of it, and began to drag it to shore, but as so often happens in troll stories, they got their timing wrong.

Before they were even close to getting to the shade, dawn broke. The trolls and ship were instantly frozen into stone, and they have remained immortalised since, as a warning to their kin.

This is not the only folk tale in this area. According to local legend, two other trolls murdered a woman, whose husband hunted them down, tricked them into coming out at night, and ensured they too were turned to stone. Their remains can be found inland.

Surroundings & Wildlife

Most visitors will only see the Reynisfjara sea-stacks from the shore of Reynisfjara, although there is an incredibly rewarding alternative view of them from above. Those with a reasonable level of fitness can venture up the bewitching cliffs of Mt. Reynisfjall, by a road to the west of Vík.

The mountain furthermore holds thousands of puffins every summer, from May to August. These adorable creatures have very little fear of people, and can be approached within metres (although you should never try to touch them). Other birds can be seen gliding around the cliffs such as Arctic terns, fulmars and seagulls.

The oceans of Iceland are pregnant with life, so lucky visitors may also see seals in the water, or even one of Iceland’s twenty species of whale and dolphin.

The South Coast of Iceland is the country's most visited sightseeing route, along with the Golden Circle.

This incredible shoreline stretches from the greater Reykjavík area in the west to the magnificent Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon in the east and is lined with countless natural wonders such as cascading waterfalls, volcanoes, black sand beaches and glaciers.

Geography, Nature & Wildlife

The South Coast is the most easily accessible part of the country’s southern region, found along the Route 1 highway (the Ring Road), which encircles Iceland. The area consists of a diverse lowland that transitions between, marshlands, bays, cultivated pastures, estuaries and black sand deserts.

Underneath the soil rests a vast lava field, known as Þjórsárhraun. Its edges reach several hundred metres offshore where the ocean waves crash upon them, thereby protecting the lowland from the invasion of the sea. This results in the South Coast being unusually lacking in the deep fjords that so distinctly characterise the rest of Iceland's shoreline.

The region boasts vibrant bird life during all seasons. Freshwater birds nest in the marshlands and around the estuaries, while seabirds flock around the cliffs of Reynisdrangar and Dyrhólaey, including the North Atlantic puffin between May and August. Some species stay throughout the harsh Icelandic winter, including the northern diver, the loom and various species of gulls and ducks.  

Seals are often found along the shore, particularly around the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach. As with everywhere in Iceland, you should always keep an eye out to sea, as whales and dolphins reside all along its coastline.

Highlights of the South Coast

The South Coast offers an unprecedented array of natural wonders that draw thousands of visitors each day.

When driving the route from Reykjavík city, the first major features are the two great waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss, which sit beneath the notorious subglacial volcano, Eyjafjallajökull. On clear days from these beautiful cascades, the Westman Islands can be seen across the ocean.

A little further down the route is the glacier Mýrdalsjökull, which covers one of Iceland’s most explosive volcanoes, Katla. Many glacier hikes are taken here upon the outlet of Sólheimajökull.

The aforementioned Dyrhólaey cliffs are next, home to many seabirds. Even if you come outside of puffin season, they are well worth a visit; jutting out to sea is an enormous rock arch of the same name, which you can marvel at from many angles.

Adjacent to the village of Vík is the famous black-sand beach, Reynisfjara, home to the rock pillars of Reynisdrangar, said to be two trolls frozen by the light of the sun. Though beautiful, this area is gaining notoriety for its dangerous sneaker waves, so visitors should be sure to stay well away from the edge of the water, even on a calm, still day.

There are no landmasses between Reynisfjara beach and the continent of Antarctica, so you can imagine how the waves can build momentum.

After passing through Vík, you will cross the glacial sand plain of Skeiðarársandur, before entering Vatnajökull National Park, home to the largest ice cap in Europe, Vatnajökull itself, dozens of glacial outlets and the magnificent Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon.

While almost all of these sites can be seen from Route 1, they make up a fraction of what the South Coast has to offer. The vast sand plains of Sólheimasandur are home to a crashed DC-3 Plane Wreck, and within the Vatnajökull National Park is the dramatic Skaftafell Nature Reserve.

Less than a kilometre from Seljalandsfoss is the hidden gem of Gljúfrabúi waterfall, and short distances from Jökulsárlón you will find the Diamond Beach, where icebergs wash on the black-sand shore, and another glacier lagoon, Fjallsárlón.

The Diamond Beach is a strip of black sand belonging to the greater Breiðamerkursandur glacial plain, located by Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon on the South Coast of Iceland.

Here, the icebergs which fill Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon wash up on shore, standing dazzling and defiant in stark contrast to the black sand beach. It is, therefore, a favourite amongst photographers, nature-lovers, and wildlife-enthusiasts. Many seals call this beach home, and it is one of the best places in the country to see orcas from the shore.

Breiðamerkursandur

Breiðamerkursandur is a glacial outwash plain located in the municipality of Hornafjörður. The sand stretches approximately 18 kilometres along Iceland’s South Coast, more specifically from the foot of Kvíárjökull Glacier to the famed glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón, that nests by the foot of Breiðamerkurjökull Glacier.

Both glaciers make up part of the 30 outlets of Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest ice cap and the central feature of the Vatnajökull National Park. Many of these are seen en route to the Diamond Beach as you travel along the South Coast.

The outwash plain was formed when three of Vatnajökull’s outlet glaciers, Breiðamerkurjökull, Hrútárjökull and Fjallsjökull, flowed forward due to volcanic activity and ground the rocks of the underlying surface, creating and pushing forward the glacial sediments.

Such sand plains are a common part of the Icelandic landscape, due to the island being volcanically active as well as boasting numerous ice caps. The terminus (the tip of a given glacier) also dug deep into the ground and left what is now the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. Although now the deepest lake in all of Iceland, it only began to form in 1935.

The glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach are fantastical sites, however, the rate of their expansion is, unfortunately, a consequence of climate change. With the rate that the glaciers are melting, there may be no ice left at either site within decades.

Jökulsárlón Icebergs

Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon is one of the most famed and visited attractions in Iceland. Floating on the lagoon are enumerable icebergs that have broken off the resident glacier, creating an ever-changing scenery of incredible allure.

The river Jökulsá connects the lagoon to the Atlantic Ocean, meaning that these icebergs eventually drift out to sea where they are polished by the waves before floating back to the black sands of Breiðamerkursandur. The name ‘Diamond Beach’ thus comes from the white ice on the black sand appearing like gemstones or diamonds, as they often glisten in the sun and sharply contrast their jet black surroundings.  

Safety at the Diamond Beach

The Diamond Beach is a safe place for any responsible traveller; unlike at Reynisfjara, another South Coast black-sand-beach, sneaker waves and rip currents are not notorious for whisking unwitting tourists out to sea. However, there are still dangers to consider.

The main one of these is the icebergs themselves. Under no circumstance should you climb upon an iceberg, due to their slippery surfaces and sharp edges.

This is especially the case if the iceberg is at all in the water, as it could flip and trap you underneath, or else be pulled out to sea by a current with you on it.

The risk of injury and illness in the form of hypothermia is so great that extortionate fines exist to deter any ‘rebels’ looking for a thrill-seek. These have only come about due to serious incidents, to protect not only tourists at the lagoon but guides and staff who may feel obligated to embark on a dangerous rescue if they see someone at risk.